Of Medals and Rent
by Maetel wore White
Summary: Usagi has something that Mamoru Chiba has wanted since their Jr.High days. Ever since, the two were fierce competitors. Now, he has purchased her apartment complex and intends to raise the rent, and blackmail her into giving it back.
1. A Notice Named OVERDUE!

Wow, I'm a disaster, and I started a NEW story. Yes, I should finish the other two first, and not start this one (and another), but it came to me now, so I figured I'd flow with it. This is an AU story, UsaMam, of course, and takes place in the present. Rock on! Please Read and Review!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Sailor Moon or any of the characters in it, just the fic.

I'm portraying more of Usagi's bolder loud-mouth side in this fic, but I'm still gonna try and keep her close to her character in the manga and anime. She'll still be Usagi, but some of her more dominantly vulnerable characteristics will be better guarded in this fic. Awesome:)

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**Of Medals and Rent**

_Chapter 1: A Notice Named OVERDUE!_

"OWWWWWW! Makoto! Makoto, I told you to fix that damned nail on the stairs! I'm gonna get tetanus in this place, I swear!"

Usagi grumbled to herself about how she should take her shoes off at her apartment and not the door, before hobbling her way around the corridor, toward her door. She noticed a decent sized amount of mail tucked under her door. She reached for the mail, put it in her mouth and used her free hand to find her keys.

After much jostling around of her door, Usagi entered her apartment, dropped her bags to the floor, and took the mail out of her mouth. She noticed what a disaster her apartment was and frowned.

'When are you going to get yourself together, girl?' she thought as she went to the fridge and got a cup of juice.

Changing her focus she began sifting through her mail.

"Bills, bills, bills, Christmas card from Ami, probably a thank you note, bills…a rent notice?"

The rent notice was stamped in red ink, with the words overdue, causing her to panic. Usagi abandoned everything else to tear open the envelope, 'this can't be possible,' she thought. She had always paid her rent on time, and had just put down for this month and the next.

She opened the letter, which read:

"Dear Tsukino Usagi,

We'd like to welcome you into what will be your new and improved home! The management of 25 Kensington Street has been switched and we regret to inform you that you have not paid the new rent. In addition to the four hundred and ninety dollars you have previously been paying per month, there will be three hundred dollar increase on the rent flat, and a two hundred and fifty increase on water and gas bills. Other charges may apply if the apartment does not pass the local standard inspection. We thank you very much for your time and consideration, and hope you continue to enjoy your home.

Sincerley, the Management"

Usagi's eye's bulged and her mouth dropped, as she tried to tally all the math in her head.

"Four-hundred plus two hun—plus three—Are you serious!"

She picked up a pen and jotted down the numbers, only to quickly throw the pen down.

"$1040 a month! Is she crazy! This is bullshit! This place isn't even worth the $490 I pay as is!"

Usagi rushed out of her apartment, knocking things down along the way as she waved the letter around in her hands.

"Makoto? MAKOTO! DO YOU HEAR ME? WHAT THE HELL IS THI--?" she screamed making her way down the stairs.

"Usagi, would you shut up already! I do have some work to get done you know, and its not easy with all of your hollering! Besides Mako just took her dog out for a walk, she won't be back for fifteen minutes"

Usagi looked up to see Rei, looking down at her from atop the stairs. Rei was one of her oldest friends, all the way back to high school, and her next-door neighbor.

"Rei-chan!" she cried out. "Rei-chan! Did you get this? Did you? You're not going to stand for this, I know you!"

"Get what, Baka?"

Usagi made her way back up the stairs and showed the paper to Rei.

"A rent increase?" She said curiously.

"Hai!" Usagi cried out earnestly. She knew Rei to be much better at taking charge of situations, and getting what she wanted done. Both she and Rei had very hot tempers, but Rei would always channel her anger, scaring everyone around her into getting what she wanted. Usagi tended to just find herself with a sore throat after making so much noise and back at square one.

"Well, yeah, I got a rent increase…but mine was only by ten bucks a month. Its not that bad, and they're gonna do a lot more maintenance here".

"Wait, yours was only increased by ten! What the—My total is $1040, Rei!"

"$1040!" she shouted back.

"$1040! How the fuck am I going to be able to afford a thousand and forty bucks Rei? I'd like to know!"

"Calm down, Usagi, calm down. I'm sure there's a good reason for all of this. Let's just go downstairs and wait for Mako to come back."

Usagi nodded and began to make her way down the stairs, following Rei. She grumbled to herself as she usually did when very upset.

"OWWWW!" she cried out.

"Usagi, you've got to learn to put on shoes! Just because this is physically a house doesn't mean its adequate for your unprotected walking!"

* * *

Mako was enjoying the walk with her dog Jo. She had just made a nice amount of money but switching the ownership of her apartment house. She was still the landlord in that she had to collect the money and keep an eye over the house, but now she was getting paid to do it. And there would be a cleaning woman, too!

It had been a wonderful week, so treating herself to an ice cream and a nice stroll in the park she gleefully made her way back home.

The sight she saw when she entered her apartment complex was very much not a pretty one. Her favorite tenants were standing by her door, looking quite sour.

"Uh, hey guys…what's up?" she said casually.

Usagi bitterly thrust the paper into Makoto's face, "You tell me", her voice was dry.

Makoto looked at Usagi with confusion, everyone had gotten one of these. She had in fact mentioned that she was switching ownership of the house.

"Just read it," Usagi continued.

Makoto looked at the letter, there was the standard into, but as she continued reading she noticed the numbers, the figures were quite different than everyone else's.

"Oh my god," she whispered, bringing her hand to her mouth as she tallied up the new bill.

"What the hell is going on, Makoto!" Usagi cried out.

"I don't know! I switched ownership of the house. That man said he would be increasing everyone's rent by forty dollars—"

"Sweet!" Exclaimed Rei. "I broke free of thirty bucks," but Rei silenced herself when seeing Usagi's glare.

"You should call the guy, Usagi. This has to be a mistake. I told him that amount sounded fair, and that if something seemed off he could give or take a couple dollars off the new rent price,"

"Yeah, and this give or take ends up being more than double the original cost!" Usagi cried out. She sighed, "What's this guy's name, Mako?"

"Chiba. Mamoru Chiba."

Rei froze at this, and exchanged a glance with Makoto, showing that she should expect only the worse.

"Chiba…Chiba! Of course…." She said, her eyes dazed and far away. "Yes, yes, its only natural for that punk-ass chauvinistic, big-mouthed, son of a—"

"Usagi!" Makoto said in surprise.

"Don't worry, matters involving money and Chiba send her clean mouth over the edge," Rei stated.

"What does he want with this house? He has HUGE complexes in the city, where people will gladly pay $1040 to stay. THIS is a HOUSE converted into five apartments! FIVE! There's nothing going for him if he owns this place!"

"Looks like he found you, Usagi-chan" said Rei smirking.

"Rei, if you had anything, and I mean, ANYTHING to do with this--"

"Mah, Usagi, calm down, you know where my loyalty lies," Rei countered.

Makoto just looked at the two confused, who was this guy out to get Usagi? What if he wanted to hurt her? Kidnap her? She began to fret worrying about what she had done.

"Don't worry," Rei said hushed, reading the expression on Makoto's face. "He's harmless"

"Harmless? Ha! I'll give you harmless! I don't care, he isn't getting my medal! If he—" and Usagi's voice trailed off up the stairs and into her own apartment.

"It's a long story," Rei stated. "But theyre very competitive enemies, and well, its really stupid, but she has something he wants."

"Yeah?" Makoto questioned. "What's that?"

Usagi came trampling down the stairs, "He wants this!" she cried out point to a large gold tacky medal hanging around her neck.

"Usagi, please for the sake of your own dignity, don't wear that out of the house," Rei sighed shaking her head.

"I won it fair and square! Fair and square! He's not getting, and I'm going to remind him of it!" she yelled as she made her way out the front door.

Makoto raised an eyebrow at Rei, since she was now questioning Usagi's sanity.

"It's a medal. From a spelling bee, in fifth grade. I wasn't there, I've only heard stories, but Usagi won. Apparently Mamoru thought he was more deserving. I think that may be what caused the big disaster that is their relationship right now, though if you see them I think you'd agree it be hard to pinpoint an exact catalyst…"

"Riiiiigghtt," Mako replied without blinking.

"I doubt either of them can spell for crap now, so its really really stupid" Rei muttered.

"He must be awfully rich, if he can play games like this by purchasing an entire house." Mako remarked, in awe.

"Well, yeah," Rei replied almost incredulously. "You've heard of Shields Hotels? That's his mother's maiden name. He practically owns an empire".

"Shit," replied Makoto in awe.

* * *

Usagi took a taxi to Shields headquarters and marched herself into the building, pressing the button in the elevator to the 11th floor. This wasn't something that was new to her; in fact she had had many battles with Mamoru before. She knew all the people who worked for him consistently, and the lifespan of a secretary for him.

As the elevator opened she marched up to the secretary, whose face was a new one. She looked up at the calendar, and took note of the date. 'Right on time for a new one, Chiba. Of course, you're never late," she thought.

"Hi, I'm for Mamoru Chiba himself," Usagi said, sounding quite entitled.

The secretary sneered, "Yes, but do you have an appointment?"

"She's a regular Anne. Mr. Chiba allows her immediate access to the conference room whenever she enters," a young man with sandy hair said.

"Hey Jadeite, how are you doing?"

"Quite well, Ms. Tsukino. I fear that the same does not apply to you…"

"I'm here, aren't I?" she said courteously.

Jadeite chuckled to himself. "Good luck, Ms. Tsukino,"

"Hey, if you want a pay raise or want to throw anything at him, I'll be glad to let him know!"

"I think I'm alright, Ms.Tsukino, but I'll let you know if anything comes up," he said, before waving his hand and gesturing for his departure.

The secretary's face was still contorted in intense animosity at Usagi. Usagi smiled at this, realizing that Anne probably thought she was sleeping with Mamoru. The notion came to Usagi early on, since Mamoru's secretaries never seemed to be very fond of her. Usagi then noticed, that Mamoru never really had an unattractive secretary though he had plenty of incompetent ones. Putting two and two together she figured, that he would hire a bedmate for as long as he could stand her and then get a new one.

'Pig!' she thought to herself.

She also figured that since she had such immediate access to him that all of the secretaries thought her to be the longest-running lover of Mamoru, and saw her as competition. They never even imagined the hatred and intense competition between the two. Nevertheless, Usagi began to enjoy getting the secretaries' panties in a twist, and forcing Mamoru to deal with the emotional woman later on, when he had hoped to be engaging in more physical matter.

"Don't worry babe," she said, as she took a tootsie pop from the little candy jar on Anne's desk. "I'm not his wife," and she threw the wrapper at Anne as she walked towards the conference room.

The sour expression never left Anne's face, as she picked up the phone and pressed the number 8. "Mr. Chiba. There's an Usagi Tsukino waiting for you in the Conference Room".

"Thank you, Anne," came the voice from the other end. "I'll be right in."

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Review please! Once again, this has a wide range in terms of direction, so lemme know if theres anything you do or dont want to see! 


	2. Used Underwear and Confrontations

Alright, so here's chapter 2. Sorry it took a while, I've been sooooo busy lately. I'm working on MMitRR, but I'm in a bit of writer's block so be patient. This story is kind of weird, and I'm not really sure where its going exactly. I'm experimenting and letting it write itself. But uh, here's chapter 2, Read and Review, PLEASE! Let me know you're thoughts, its super useful to me! Thanks!

VB

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon doesn't belong to me. Never has, and probably never will. Le sigh...

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**Of Medals and Rent**

_Chapter 2: Used Underwear and Confrontation _

Usagi made her way into the conference room, and had a seat. She looked the whole place over, as she always did trying to find new signs of Chiba's wealth and reason to hate him. 

So far, nothing was too surprising, yet a small bowl of jellybeans in the center of the table proved to look more than appetizing. Taking the whole bowl for herself, she began munching on the food thinking of a way she would take down Chiba, but her train of thought was frequently getting disrupted.

'He won't really go through with it….he's just trying to push my buttons…I wonder if he's had sex with one of the secretaries on this marble table…I bet it would be cold…'

She gasped at her own thoughts and shook her head in frustration. "Argh!" she shouted out, flushing a little bit.

'Seriously, Usagi, get your mind out of the gutter!...There are very important tasks at hand here!...Let's see…this HAS to be illegal in some way…though I doubt that would matter with someone who has so much power…why does he have to be a jerk!'

She took note of some framed black and white photos along the walls of the room. They were clearly, very "artistic"—"modern", the exact kind of thing someone so powerful would use to confuse young beautiful women into thinking he had an appreciation for art.

'He's an _eccentric_ jerk, which makes him dangerous…' Usagi thought tactfully. 'I bet he has some trophy of the girls he's been with around here…that sicko would get off on something like that…'

Usagi bent over in her chair and looked under the table, " He probably keeps used panties underneath here".

Compelled to fulfill her fantasy of Mamoru being a creepy pervert, Usagi found herself on her hands and knees crawling underneath the length of the long marble table.

"Geez, what a perv! What a damned perv he is!"

Usagi reached the end of the table, trying to avoid to the pair of feet she was near, when she realized her search had failed her.

"Ugh! You've got to stop thinking about these dirty things all the time, Usa!" She screamed at herself, turning toward the head of the table, and suddenly recognizing that there were feet there.

Her hands rose quickly to her mouth. 'No, please…God, no…' she thought to herself.

Scared to look, but aware that it was inevitable, Usagi brought her gaze to the feet, and followed up through the legs and to the man grinning down at her from the large arm chair at the head of the table.

"Chiba!" she screamed, bonking her head from underneath the table. She scrambled backwards out from underneath, and rubbed her sore head as she stood up.

Standing at the other end of the table, Usagi kept her stance ready, as if hunting a tiger.

"You perverted—uncultured--!"

"I'm perverted?" he questioned coolly, eyeing her so that she now began to feel like prey.

"Yes! Of course you are!"

"You're the one searching for used underwear in my office…"

Usagi blushed, realizing just how long Mamoru had been in the room.

"…So, I have all rights to assume that you're the one who is a pervert, Usagi. Regardless I accept your apology".

"I didn't apologize!" She hollered, stamping her foot like a child.

"Good, then I won't feel bad about making fun of you for it," he replied matter of factly, still quite comfortable in his seat.

Usagi, however, refused to sit.

"Oh, I see you've brought my medal. Very classy. I'm afraid anyone who has seen you today must think you're completely insane."

"I want you out of my life, Chiba," she stated flatly.

Mamoru smiled to himself, as if briefly entertaining the thought. "You can't run forever, Odango."

Usagi winced at the nickname, one use to torment her through her junior high years. The youth had caught on to Mamoru's nickname, and it remained for a good three years or so before everyone got tired of it—everyone except Mamoru.

"You can't do this!" she exclaimed, now far less timid and approaching him in his anger. "Its-Its-Its discrimination! You can't have that kind of biased charging of your tenants! Its _illegal_, Mamoru, and I WILL take you to court!"

Mamoru nodded his head to side, digesting the information, but still smiled infuriatingly, both frightening and pissing off Usagi.

"Well, you're right that it is discrimination. And if it were one of my large hotel complexes, it would be illegal. However, the fact of the matter is it is a house, Odango. I privately own the house, and I am choosing to continue renting rooms. Because it is my personal property, I can 'discriminate' all I want".

Usagi's face fell, while Mamoru's reigned triumphant.

"What do you want from me?" she managed to choke out.

"You know, Odango".

She felt her anger burning back up inside of her, but physically externally she was paralyzed. She couldn't see a way out of this situation…

Mamoru stood up, and casually dragged a hand through his thick black hair as he began to approach Usagi.

"I want you, Odango. I will let you live in one of my apartment complexes for free. That would be a home far better than what you're living in now, worth more, for nothing. You'd be closer to the city as well. All you have to do is work for me, again."

"No," she replied, shaking her head, fighting memories of the past, sensations of hurt.

"You know Odango, I don't know why you resist the position so. Many would kill for it. All you have to do is what I tell you. Being an assistant isn't difficult at al—"

"You mean being a slave? Being at your whim 24 hours a day just so you can humiliate me for your entertainment?"

"Geez Odango, it's not like that, keep in mind I'm paying you, and quite a handsome sum at that…'

"No, fuck you Mamoru. Fuck you and your apartment houses and all of the things you can GIVE to me for free!"

"Usagi, you should know that I'm being kind. I know what kind of financial situation you're in…"

"I'll work something out!" she snapped back at him.

"You've worked far worse jobs before, Usagi! What's humiliation in comparison to cold clammy hands on your skin! Drool dripping from hi—"

Mamoru was cut off by Usagi slapping him across the face.

"I hate you," she whispered.

"Fine," his tone was low, and his voice muted by anger frightened Usagi more than any yelling ever would. "Go back to the corner of 27th and 3rd! Oh you thought I wouldn't know? I've got friends there, Usagi, friends of your friends. Do what you please, I'll find you again."

Usagi trembled from controlling her emotions when she felt her cell phone vibrating.

"Who is it?" Mamoru asked.

"Hello Diamond," she answered completely ignoring Mamoru. "No…Yes!" she giggled into the phone. Darien witnessed this transformation in her, a movement towards giddiness and felt his uneasiness increase. "Well, yeah if you want…You're awful!...Okay, okay I'll be there, don't get creepy on me…Alright, goodbye."

Usagi looked up at Mamoru glaring at her. "What is it?" she asked a bit shocked.

"Who's Diamond?"

"My potential boss…" she replied nervously.

"What about the school?"

"I'm not sure right now…" her voice was shaky, and laced with a bit of guilt.

"I don't believe you! You aren't at all who I thought you to be Usagi," he stated coldly.

Usagi was beyond shock. He had just been insulting her for her past career professions. The two of them had a history; Usagi couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his mind. The two of them knew each other very well, but neither, for good reason trusted the other. Because of that they never could understand each other.

Usagi sighed. Her relationship with Mamoru had never been stable. They had been friends, lovers, enemies, acquaintances, and everything in between. More than anything, she was grateful that Mamoru hadn't tried to put any moves on her. The man knew he was sexy as the temptations of hell, and he wouldn't sometime slightly graze her skin, causing memories to flow quickly back into her mind.

But now she was shocked more than ever. Mamoru more than frequently expressed disgust with Usagi, but never actual disappointment. Rather than feel her inner dissonance trying to reconcile her image of Mamoru, Usagi took careful note that this could perhaps be a weakness for him, and used to her advantage. She was a teacher at the school where they met, where they grew up together. The former principle of the school was very close to particularly Mamoru and Usagi, because he had been there for both of them in their hard times. She didn't feel good about switching jobs, but Mamoru was right: she needed money.

Usagi pushed those thoughts out of her head, "Well, this was a complete waste of time. I've still got the medal Mamoru, and I'm not budging to you or your demands".

"Then in regards to your apartment…?"

"Looks like I'm moving out Mamoru," she said smiling, and making her way to the door.

"Odango, wait!"

Usagi laughed. "You can't do anything about it Mamoru".

"You have nowhere to go," he countered, and Usagi smiled. She could sense that he was starting to grow tense. He thrived on controlling her, and the inability to do so must have been frightening to him.

"I'll figure it out Mamoru," she said turning to wave goodbye to him. "You've been less than charming. Let's do this again sometime".

Thrilled that she had taken control of the situation Usagi excused herself and left the building.

She walked by Jadeite, and the two winked at each other. Jadeite followed up by shaking his head wondering to himself: 'what will ever become of them?'

Usagi was very much still infuriated, but she was also happy that she had found a strong point over Mamoru. It was true that there was a point in her life where she had sold herself to men. 'I wasn't very good at it,' she mused to herself, and laughed a bit. It was a part of her life that she had comes to terms with and wanted to leave in the past.

Walking towards the elevator, Usagi noticed the secretary again. "Hey, Anne is it?" she asked.

Anne half smiled to confirm.

"Great, great. I hope there are no hard feelings from before. To tell you the truth, he just can't keep up with me. So, I have to go find another man who can do it, but feel free to pick up where I left off. I'm sure he won't mind. Thanks for everything!"

And completely satisfied with herself, and ready to wage war, Usagi left for lunch and to devise a plan.

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Thats all for now! Review review review please! 


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